1.0 game launch log

[gamedevs]

1.0: Game Launch

Patch Update
Maybe you’ve been getting settled in for a little while now, maybe you just arrived yesterday. Either way, a big change is coming! All Dodo residents will receive a city-wide broadcast on their phones:

> Thank you for your patience with our construction, city-goers! As our month of pride celebration has wrapped, all our streets are once again open. Hope it sets your hearts aflutter for 🤍 White Day! 🤍

The streets of Crane City have opened, and what glorious streets they are! Decorated with gently blooming white flowers, ivory streamers hung from building to building, and floating snowy balloons, everything seems to be elevated with a touch of elegance. What’s that? It’s looking a little bridal? Now you’re getting in the spirit! The city is abuzz about an upcoming celebration...

Meanwhile, Duocaeli has also become the loveliest storm. It’s a tornado of silks, a cyclone of chiffon, ribbons as far as the eye can see - that’s right, it’s time for a parade of princesses. Avis Isle is tittering with gossip, airship after airship coming to land as royalty gets to enjoy the fresh air and roguish sights of a guild town. There’s princesses from faraway lands, kingdoms large and small, excited to rest before they depart soon to their next destination—some kind of royal slumber party? rich people—and they’re so excited to be here! Some are children, others as mature as their late 300's—once a princess, always a princess.

Avisle is excited for their business too! ♥ Looks like everything’s a little more expensive around these parts (know your audience) but there’s also better service and rumors of special treatment for those of blue blood pedigree, or their staff. Why don’t you slide on in? If anything, you might want to teach your friends how to pass for royalty, lest they get mistaken for a worker!

Speaking of roleplay, it seems like there’s an abandoned chest in one of the roadways, likely fallen off a carriage in the chaos… Inside, characters will find gorgeous adornments, including lovely gowns, crowns, etc. The criers looking for royal customers ring in the back of your mind – “Princess business welcome!!” – do you do the proper thing and look for the owner of the chest, and see if you can get a reward? Or is it time for royal cosplay? (Though should you return it, and the shopkeep may ask you to wear some garments as advertisement anyway...)

Alternatively, in your plain clothes, or... most clothes, it’s easy to be mistaken for a page. Well, they’re all awfully young ladies–have a sense of humor! Don’t let it rankle you too bad... or do?

Guild business is in high demand now especially, with most specialties being sought after by a monarch-to-be for one reason or another.

♔ Crafters are highly sought after, especially those who specialize in adornments. Won’t you make them some hair ornaments that bloom just like true roses?
♔ Warriors are being asked to fulfill more bodyguard roles. You know! Just like in their romance novels…
♔ Scholars are being asked to fulfill divinations—how good are you at fortune tellings? The future of their kingdoms are prosperous, aren’t they? Aren’t they?
♔ Wanderers are being requested as tour guides and escorts. They have a higher chance of being mistaken for pages. Sorry.
♔ Menders must clean up after everyone’s messes, as usual. Stained gowns, broken hairpins, the occasional sprain of a princess fallen out of a tree (we told her not to!)—you name it.

1. Questboard

The quest board at the guild hub has been updated with the latest patch! Excited players are gathered around to collect new bounties, which are open to all. The guild hub also provides a useful bestiary, which is readily accessible by guild members via crystals.

2. Dungeon Crawl - Guild Hub Catacombs

Welcome to your first limited time domain! Princess Andalina is the belle of the ball, and the one organizing the royal slumber party... when she's suddenly attacked by robed figures in the Guild Hub! It's your job to escort her safely through some secret underground catacombs so that she might be smuggled aboard an airship and escape–though naturally, there's a catch.

Task: Escort Princess Andalina Quartzrosen Pili Majesteria the Third
Reward: Daiya, diamond jewelry of choice.



Chamber 1: Once Upon a Time...
Right in front of your eyes, the exhausted Princess suddenly transforms… into a beautiful diamond? Housed in a necklace, it seems that this icy stone is her dormant form, and is entrusted to players for safekeeping. Dungeon party members will be given roles in the first chamber: knight or princess. Knights will be in charge of defeating foes; princesses will have to wear the enchanted stone and keep it intact. If princesses are hurt, the stone will be damaged. If they're grievously injured or killed, the stone will be destroyed outright.

Additionally, knights will find themselves buffed overall and invulnerable to damage. But it's not that convenient–princesses will sustain any injuries meant for their knights. In RPG terms, princesses serve as the HP for all members of their parties.

It's imperative to keep moving to avoid the incoming assassins, though that's easier said than done: some of the hallways are incredibly narrow, there's constant forks and uneven terrain, and the darkness is thick and suffocating. It'll be easier to stay close–or maybe even get a piggyback ride? A princess carry, if you will? It's easy mana!

Chamber 2: A Sticky Situation
The catacombs are damp and stale–and of course, in their neglect, they're teeming with danger. The pitch black corridors make it easy to stumble into giant spiderwebs, which are nearly impossible to escape alone, though they can be burned or otherwise destroyed with some help. The webbing itself is weaved with magic, and will quickly drain the mana of anyone trapped within.

But where there's spiderwebs, there's bound to be… spiders! Careless knights and princesses may find themselves kidnapped and carried away by these hunters, which can attack with sharp barbs and acid that lingers on every surface. Knights are invulnerable, but can still be incapacitated by webbing–be careful!

Chamber 3: Sins of our Daughters
The light is at the end of the literal tunnel, but one obstacle remains: the young leader of the assassins who introduces herself as Nina.

Nina doesn't attack outright, instead first explaining Andalina's crimes against her kingdom, and her desire for justice. Proudful and grieving, Nina will only accept Andalina's death, but nevertheless offers the players a choice:

Destroy Andalina: By deliberately injuring a party's princess, Andalina's crystal will be destroyed, and she'll be killed. Nina will thank the party and slip away without another word, looking wearied.
Save Andalina: Protecting Andalina will cause Nina to attack, leading to a boss battle.

BOSS: Nina the Emerald
HP: 10000
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Weakness: Water, despots
Resistance: Earth

Attacks

• Crystal Cage: Summons giant, emerald shards to create walls, isolating party members.
  
• Shatter: Anything her knives touch turns temporarily into crystal, including limbs and portions of flesh. Nina will often throw these knives, though she can also be turned to stone using them. Payback's a bitch!

Nina is a talented assassin, and moreover, she's mad as hell. Basically a flurry of knives that lashes out from the dark corners of the room, she'll specifically target princesses.

Defeating her can be as "simple" as beating her in a fight before the party sustains too much damage, but there's also a large, deep lagoon in this chamber. If you can make Nina sink like a stone, the water might be enough to dispatch her permanently…

G̴̮͇̽ĺ̶̻͉̓͝i̷̜͓̙̊t̵̤̄́̏c̶̝̘̃̉̀h̶̯͓͘i̶̖͙̭͆ń̷̻̦̘g̶͐͒͜ͅ: Occasionally throughout the dungeon, including during this boss fight, the role between princesses and knights can switch without warning! Don't get too comfortable.

In the end, only one of the two girls can survive. While others may view this as just a cutscene in a game, to PCs, something about both these women feels quite real. Claim your reward, and step into the glowing portal that will teleport you back to the dungeon entrance. Players may thread any number of outcomes, but can only report one of their threads here for rewards!

OOC Notes

March's OOC Event Plotting Post is also here for your reference!

Please look forward to our next gamewide mingle for Dodo's Doki Doki White Day Auction on Friday, March 17th.

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Comments

[magesque]

[ . . . hmmm, okay. rin blinks for a moment before nodding and then, honestly, a little underwhelmingly:] Future sight isn't as rare as people might think.

[it's a Servant trait that an annoying number of them have! if it shows up in myth and legend, she's not surprised if people in other worlds might have the real deal. but regardless, she'll move on if hibiki's uncomfortable. little mercies.]

Anyway - teasing aside, I think that makes sense. Dating someone and only knowing pieces of them sounds like a pain.

[windsongs]

[ In her defense, she's used to having to maintain some sort of veil between the supernatural and mundane. So Rin's blase response throws her a bit. The smile she wears is a little uncomfortable, but at the same time, she is incredibly curious. ]

...Really? I mean, it makes sense, but I've only known one other person who could do anything like that.

[ This is totally a normal conversation nbd.

The blonde heaves a sigh before throwing a knowing smile in Rin's direction. ]

I'd bet. I've only ever had one successful relationship, and we couldn't hide anything from each other if we tried. The one I mentioned earlier. We hadn't been together for very long, but I'd trust him with even my darkest secrets. And I like to think he'd feel the same.

[magesque]

[she nods - and answers if hibiki's curious! there's enough weirdos wandering around that rin figures it's not really worth hiding all the weird, occult things she knows. but also she doesn't want to be mistaken for a weirdo herself or anything, you know?]

Your mom? [she shrugs a little bit] It's a common enough thing that comes up in multiple societies. Someone's bound to be blessed with prophetic ability, whether it be in dreams, visions, or something else.

[but wow..... talk about a dreamy situation! rin looks mildly curious, but keeps a polite distance in her interest. even now, she doesn't really care to cross that point of closeness with others.]

.... yeah, you're going to be hung up on this guy for a while. Well, I hope it works out for you.

[windsongs]

[ What's wrong with people thinking you're a weirdo, Rin? She's always been a bit of an oddball, and she wouldn't have it any other way. ]

Blessed isn't the word I'd use, but I get what you mean. [ A beat. ] It kinda makes it awkward when a friend tries to sneak up on you and that sense kicks into high gear. But I haven't flung anybody lately, so I guess I can't complain too much.

[ Hibiki??? Normally she wouldn't own up to being so violent something like that, but it's easier for her to bury personal complex feelings with self-directed humor. Speaking of which... Flashing Rin a sheepish grin, she shrugs a bit. ]

Yeah, probably. Normally I'd tell him how I feel, but I don't wanna influence his decision either way. Like I said, it's complicated. But I appreciate it. Fingers crossed, right?